Keys to the Forgotten Stars
by Hyperdrive 24
Summary: Lucy goes on a solo job, leaving Natsu and Happy behind. The job was given to her specially and it has to do with her mother! what has her mother given her? and what adventures will the after affects give our favourite guild?
1. Chapter 1

**Hi I have a new fairy tail story here! YAY XD**

 **this has been on my IPOD for ages so I decided to type it up and I hope you guys like it as much as I enjoyed writhing it! there will be other chapters but they will be up at a later date, when I have written more of the story in total.**

 **PLEASE PLEASE LEAVE A REVIEW I LOVE HEARING ABOUT WHAT YOU GUYS LIKED AND DIDN'T LIKE SO I CAN BE A BETTER WRITER.**

 **only thing left it to say is that _when the wirtng goes like this_ it's a memory or letter. **

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Natsu walked passed her house on his way to the guild. Strawberry Street wasn't directly on his way to the guild but neither was it too far out of the way; so he would take this route, because she was away on a solo mission and he liked catching her scent as he walked passed her apartment. He stopped in his tracks and started up at her window. Only a week had passed, he had no idea how he was going to get through the next two; already he had taken measures to walk past her apartment so he could catch her scent on the wind, what would he be driven to do within the next couple of weeks?

Normally they would all go on a job together, but Mira said that it had been something to do with her mother, so he had backed down and stayed at the guild when every fibre of his body screamed to go after her.

 _"_ _Mira!" Natsu yelled jogging over to the bar, "Where's Lucy?"_

 _The white haired mage turned and looked at him leaning against the bar._

 _"_ _She went on a job," she said and quickly added as Natsu began to turn and follow Lucy's scent. "It has to do with her mother, so I think it's best that she does this one alone. Also it will be good for her to do some solo jobs every now and then, don't you think?" she smiled as Natsu reluctantly sat down at the bar with his head rested against the wood._

Happy landed on Natsu's shoulder. "I miss her Natsu," he said with a sigh.

"Yeah me too," Natsu said petting his blue friend on the head gently. The first had gone so agonisingly slow Natsu and Happy really had no idea how they were going to get through the rest. They both missed her keenly and Happy had found Natsu to be less lively without their blonde friend there. Natsu stuffed his hand into his pocket, rummaging around until found what he was looking for and fished it out. It was a small, silver key-ring the shape of a dragon. Lucy had made it for him on the anniversary of him bringing her to the guild. She gave him presents on that day because she didn't know when his birthday was. Despite how Lucy might come over to most people she was good at making things with silver.

When he had asked her where she had learned to meld silver, she had said. _"I had to find something to do when I was young,"_ and smiled at him. She used to make keys to play with and pretend that they were her mother's gate keys.

Natsu looked closely at the small dragon in his hand, it was very well made and the detail was amazing.

Happy looked at the key-ring. "It looks a lot like Igneel," he said. Natsu gazed at it closely and saw that he was right. It was a mini replica of the fire dragon. A happy and sad smile spread over Natsu's lips. Not only had Lucy given him something special, she had given him something beautiful. It showed how deeply she cared for him and that she was there if he ever needed anything. This only made him miss her all the more.

Lucy looked down at the black gatekey in her hands. Her mother had left it to her for when she turned twenty one; seeing as that had technically happened five years ago, what with Tenroujima Island and all.

A letter had been left with the key.

 _Only use this key when the time is most desperate,_

 _My dear Lucy this is only to be used as a last resort._

 _Love Mom._

Curling her fingers around the black gatekey she looked out of the window of the train and watched as the landscape whizzed past, only the far away mountains followed the path of the train.

Something about the way the key looked worried her to no end; it was black with gold flecks, and had a dragon's head fashioned into the top, with the tail winding down to make a pointed arrow tip at the base. One thing that Lucy knew instinctively was that she had to keep this key a secret. Her mother had said some other things in her letter but Lucy had left them to dwell on at a later date, when she was home and rested. The train jolted and Lucy gripped the key in her hand, figuring that simply putting it in her pocket was a no go; she resolved to buy a chain for it in the next town.

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	2. Chapter 2

**hey there here's chapter two. I hope everyone liked the first chapter? this chapter is a little bit longer than the first but not by much. and have you guys been reading the newest fairy tail chapters! OH MY GOD I LOVE IT SOOOO MUUUUCH! ahem... enjoy :)**

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Happy was outside the guild with Wendy and Carla when his ears twitched and he turned round to see Lucy walking up behind them. "Luuuuuuuccyyyyyyy! I missed you. Why did you go on a job without me and Natsu?!" he cried flying and snuggling into her arms.

"It was personal Happy, I had to go alone for that one," Lucy said stroking him and smiling. Carla gave Lucy a look of understanding.

"It's good to have you back Lucy," Wendy said.

"Yes it is, and I one piece," Carla agreed. To which Lucy laughed and the four of them went into the guild, pushing the doors open and walking into the throng of people. One of the guilds brawls was happening and Lucy had to duck a table and three chairs before she got to the bar where Mira was. She sat in her usual place and ordered a strawberry milkshake.

"Well done Lucy," Mira gave her a wink as she placed to drink down on the bar. "How was it?"

"Ugh, long," Lucy grumbled and took a well deserved gulp of her cold beverage.

"But you got it done," Mira piped with pride.

"Yes, eventually, yes," Lucy sighed taking another sip. Happy sat on the bar next to Lucy and ordered fish, then tried to share it with Carla.

As people came over and patted her on the back, Lucy only started to feel taxed from the day. She needed to get home and have a shower and a sleep.

Natsu stopped momentarily in his fight with Gray, making it possible for him to get a hit in on his jaw. Natsu glared at Gray, and then went back to what was distracting him. "What given up so soon?" Gray taunted.

"No Ice Princess, I can smell something," snapped back. The smell was familiar but also not. He took another good sniff before turning to the bar and charging at it yelling. "Luuuuuuucccyyyyyy! When did you get back?" at the top of his lungs. Lucy glanced over her shoulder and saw a charging Natsu. A look of horror crept onto her face as she hoped that he would stop in time to not send her flying, like he had done once before. But he did stop thankfully. He skidded to a halt and grabbed her by the arms with that goofy happy grin plastered on his face.

"Nice to see you too Natsu," she smiled "But I'm going home to take a shower now. So we can talk tomorrow, 'kay?" she said.

"Oh, that's' good cause you smell different after that job," he said, which irked Lucy slightly. She only gets back and one of the first things he says is that she smells funny?

So before she ends up hurting him with a Lucy kick, she waves bye and goes home. Lucy placed a hand on her chest over where the gatekey rested on a chain round her neck. She had hidden it under her blouse, seeing it as the best thing to do for the time being.

Natsu was in Lucy's apartment, sprawled across her bed, and inhaling her scent. He had missed being at her place, her bed, her company, her food but, her bed. Yeah it was great having her back. He gave a content sigh but his mind wondered back to how Lucy had smelled in the guild; normally she smelt like a fresh mixture of her lavender shower wash and her normal scent that was unique to her. However in the guild mixed with her scent there had been another one, smoke and heat. The addition of these two smells had made it very hard for him to figure out who it was at first.

Natsu listened to the shower running in the bathroom; she had been in there a long time. Natsu had come in through the window, again, and she had been in there since had been lying on her bed; a good fifteen minutes.

He finally heard the water switch off and braced himself for the inevitable Lucy kick, which soon came with a shout and curses, all aimed at him. He dodged the attacks with a grin; he had missed this too. Some movement caught his eye and Natsu stared at the black key around her neck. Lucy had stopped throwing things at him now and was looking at him with exasperation.

"What's that Lucy?" he asked pointing to the gatekey. Lucy glanced down and mentally slapped herself. Why had she left t on? Damn it.

"It's a new gatekey," she tried to brush his question off. But Natsu wasn't having any of it. He got to his feet and slowly walked to her with that serious expression he used very rarely.

He could still smell the smoke and heat, as he got closer to Lucy he began to tell where it was coming from. He looked down at the black gatekey, it had a dragon's head on it. He frowned at it for a minute, but after seeing the uneasy look on Lucy's face he leaned down and gave her a hug. He rested his chin on her shoulder and took a deep breath. He could get used to her new smell.

"Umm, Natsu?" Lucy said hesitantly. Natsu's grip tightened a fraction and Lucy knew what he was trying to say. "I missed you too," she added and returned the embrace. After a moment Natsu pulled away and gave her a puzzled look. "What?" Lucy asked.

"You," he stopped.

"Me, what?" Lucy pressed.

"You smell different." Natsu still looked puzzled. Lucy instinctively put a hand over the gatekey. "And what is that?" he asked gently pulling her hand away so he could look at it more closely. Lucy sighed. She guessed she had to tell him what happened on her job now, so she did.

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 **so what do you think? not much is happening cos I'm going for the slow build up so that thsi story can have the best impact and keep you hooked to the end, I hate it when stories just suddenly jump into things, it leaves me very confused and wandering "What the hell, where did that come from?" so I hope you like my writing style.**

 **and please do leave a review.**

 **Love Hype.**


	3. Chapter 3

**hey there here is chapter three! Hope you will like it and enjoy, don't forget to leave a review on ya way out. (Waves happily)**

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"You had to what!?" Natsu exclaimed. Lucy sighed. He did have a way of over reacting to things.

"I had to fight a Volken… or two, to get to the shrine where my mother had entrusted the gatekey," she said again.

"B-but, were you hurt?" he stuttered. His worrying was sweet but at times but at times annoying.

"No, I'm here now aren't I?" she said through slightly gritted teeth.

"What else did your mother say about the gatekeys?" he asked all former worry forgotten

"She said that there were more keys out there and that they have been forgotten, or rather erased from the records. They were known as the keys of Ragnarok," she said then continued holding up the black gatekey round her neck. "This is Drake, the black dragon. There are others like Valdryr, the silver wolf, Phiox the gold Phoenix, and Gryph the white Gryphon. All of these key have just been whipped from the history books. To the rest of the world they don't even exist. Mother also said that they hail from a different celestial world, she said that if you call the world where the others come from heaven, and then this other world can be called Valhala." Lucy looked down for a moment; Natsu knew she was holding something back.

"What else Lucy?" he was very serious now. Lucy looked up hearing the tone in his voice.

"They are very powerful," she bit her lip "More powerful that the spirit king."

Natsu's head was spinning; more powerful than the spirit king? Lucy stared at him, his eyes were unfocused and steam was coming from his head, as a result of over thinking. She pondered whether to about the last key or not? Her mother hadn't been sure if it existed or was not destroyed. But Lucy came to the decision not to tell him, not yet anyway. It was at this moment that happy came flying in through the window.

"Hey, Natsu no fair! I want to spend time with Lucy too!" he wailed landing on the dragon slayer's head. "Even though she's weird."

"I heard that stupid cat!" Lucy yelled, and Natsu laughed as she started to chase the blue exceed around the room. Lucy soon turned her fury onto Natsu and then he too was running for his life from the spirit mage.

Lucy lay down on her back in bed. Natsu was at her side, snoring faintly as he slept. Happy was curled up on his chest and with each breath Natsu took; Happy would rise and fall in a slow, calming rhythm. Lucy turned her head to look at Natsu's sleeping face. He looked so content. She smiled at the slight twitches his face made as he dreamt about something.

Lucy gently got up from her bed. It was five in the morning, but after her chase with Natsu and Happy, she had dropped right off; despite the fact she had only had five hours sleep she felt well rested. It must have been a good five hours. But now that she was awake, things prevented her from sleeping. She couldn't stop thinking about what her mother had said. She made her way over to the bathroom and felt for the light switch before flicking it on. Lucy looked back at the sleeping forms in her bed, making sure they had stayed that way.

She opened the draw under the sink and pulled out her mother's letter, and began to read the rest of it. Before when she had received the letter, she hadn't had the mind space to read the other pages, but now she felt like reading more. What did her mother have to say about the keys of Ragnarok?

Lucy finished reading and rested her head in her hands. Her mother had said that the keys will only appear when summoned if and only _if_ they like the summoner. She went and reread a part of the letter.

 _Valdryr the silver wolf is hidden in a labyrinth under a desert called Sky Fall._

Lucy had never heard of a desert called Sky Fall. But she was determined to find it and keep the key from falling into the hands of ' _the dark ones'_ as her mother had called them. She held her head in her hands again and her mind went blank for what to do next. Things had just become more difficult than they were already.

Natsu stirred and turned on his side, feeling the lack of warmth on Lucy's side of the bed, he cracked open an eye and traced the room till he saw a light on in the bathroom. He pulled himself up onto his elbows and squinted at Lucy sitting on the edge of the bath with her head in her hands.

"Hey?" Lucy felt a hand on her shoulder and looked up. "Are you Okay?" Natsu's face was concerned and his body was hesitant.

"It's nothing Natsu, but thanks anyway," she said. Natsu stared at her for a moment then went back to bed, Lucy followed, promptly Kicking him out of bed.

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 **leave a review tell me what you thing ;)**


	4. Chapter 4

So I'm finaly gonna have the juicy bits of the story happen in the nest few chapters. Sorry if it is a bit slow but I like to build things up. as always leave a review i want to know what you think, tell me why you followed or even send me a request for something to happen in the story and if I can it it into it then I will if not then I will do a oneshot just for you.

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The next day Lucy showed master Makarov the letter and asked if she could go in search of the keys. He agreed to let her go after a bit of coaxing, but he had insisted that she take the others with her. Lucy had wanted to go alone at the start but he was having none of it.

Lucy thanked him and went to get the rest of team Natsu. She came down from the stairs, instantly spotting Erza in the crowd. She called for the requip mage to meet her at the base of the stairs.

"What is it Lucy?" she asked walking over to her calmly.

"I have something to tell you and the others," Lucy said, clutching the letter in her hands. Erza noticed this.

"I will go break up the fight then," she said calmly marching over the guild wide brawl, plucking Gray, Natsu and Gajeel from the mix and giving Wendy a call. Her and Carla cam trotting over as Erza retuned with the three bruised boys. Somehow Lucy doubted they got those from the fight.

"What is it Lucy?" Wendy asked with a smile. So Lucy explained what had happened again and what the letter had said. Natsu was very quiet while waiting for Lucy to finish.

"So where do we start?" Erza said resting her hands on her hips. Lucy smiled, she couldn't ask for better friends, a better family.

"Thanks," she said, practically beaming.

"It's no big deal," Gray shrugged and Gajeel's agreement was shown by a grin.

"Then we start by going to a desert called Skyfall," Lucy said.

"We leave at once," Erza ordered with a little more than the usual enthusiasm. Before anyone could say that it was a bit soon she went to go pack her things. "We meet at the station in one hour." Natsu, Lucy and Happy left together from the guild, and then split to things from their own homes.

"See you at the train Station Natsu," Lucy bid with a wave.

"Yeah," was his subdued reply, even thinking of the station made in feel sick.

Lucy opened her door and started to pack for the trip. She had at first wanted to go alone to do this but, she was happy everyone wanted to help her, but then would they or could they refuse something like and adventure? Lucy hurried out of her apartment and jogged all the way to Manolia station. She was so happy that she hardly noticed Natsu and Gray fighting on the platform. She chatted animatedly to Wendy and Erza before Erza went to go smack the now three boys fighting over the heads. Lucy and Wendy laughed; Carla just shook her head slowly with Lily standing next to her with his arms crossed.

"So Lucy," Wendy said "Ready to go?" she smiled.

"Hell yeah," Lucy pumped a fist into the air. The train ride was like all of the other train rides, but now all three of the dragon slayers were feeling sick. All three of them were very, very happy when the three hour train ride was now over. But the group were met with something else to fret about.

"This," said Natsu.

"Is," said Gray.

"Not," said Gajeel.

"A station!" all three of them yelled as they looked out at the desert wasteland stretching out as far as the eye could see. Tumble weed rolled past them as a breeze blew from the east.

"Well according to what my mother said," Lucy took out the letter from her bag and read over her mother's description of where to find the entrance to the Labyrinth. "We just need to go west for three miles then," she looked at the paper again. "We wait for the moon light to revile the door in stone."

"How big is the door?" Erza asked and Lily nodded his head.

"The Labyrinth is under the entire desert," before Lucy could finish Natsu butted in.

"So why don't we just punch an entrance right under our feet then?" Natsu roared in triumph at his quick thinking. Promptly pulling back a fist and smashing it into the ground before anyone could stop him. A blast of energy, rebounding his attack and hurtling Natsu into the sky out of sight.

"That's why," Lucy muttered with a sigh of exasperation.

"Idiot," Gray commented, Gajeel nodded his agreement. Wendy, Carla and Lily just looked on, a bit shocked.

"Better start walking then," Erza said with pride. She had somehow managed to find a big floppy sunhat and started walking, pulling her huge amount of luggage behind her.

"I'll go get Natsu then," Happy said flying off in search of the fire wizard.

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Leave a review leave a request, anything, I want to know! haha XD


	5. Chapter 5

A huge thanks to the people who reviwed! don't be afraid to give me tips or point out something thats wrong and if there is something bothering *nuuuuuuuuuuu!* nope still not psychic you will have to leave a review! this chapter is a bit longer than the others as sujested by one of my lovely reviewers!

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The heat was unbearable; with the sun sending lash after lash, of scorching rays down on the wizard's shoulders, heads, and backs. The only person not affected by the heat was Natsu; for obvious reasons. Erza and grey were trying to not look affected, but there was no way of hiding the extra drooping of Gray's eye, and the sweat collecting on Erza's forehead sliding down her cheeks, dropping onto the sand at her feet; it would instantly dry up after touching the super heated grains. Carla was bundled up in Wendy's arms.

"This place is hotter than any other I have been," Carla said wiping a bead of sweat from her eye.

"I know Carla, It's almost unnatural," Wendy replied squinting at the horizon, watching the heat waves shimmer. Gajeel saw Lily struggling to keep waking on the hot sand and picked him up, placing him on his shoulder.

"Thanks," Lily said.

"No problem," Gajeel kept his focus on not dying from the heat himself. Happy couldn't fly anymore after finding Natsu buried head first in sand and bringing him back. The wiped out exceed, had now taken up permanent residence on Natsu's head, muttering something about fish and elephants.

"Erza I don't suppose you have any more hats, do you?" Lucy asked.

"I think I might," Erza said stopping to forage around in her luggage. "Ah!" came Erza's cry of triumph. "Here Lucy," she handed another floppy sunhat to the blonde. Then after a bit more looking she found more hats for everyone. But even with the added protection from the sun, heat was still reflected up at them from the sand.

"How much further?" Gajeel grumbled after what felt like forever. He glanced back at Lucy. She stopped in her tracks and everyone else's trudging stopped. Lucy looked at where the sun was in the sky then at the horizon.

"I think we could be there in the next hour or so," she said pulling out the letter scrutinizing what it said for a moment. "We need to stop when we reach a cluster of rocks."

"I don't see any rocks close by," Gray muttered scanning the horizon.

"Apparently they're hard to miss," Lucy said coming up beside him. "There!" she pointed to the left. Gray followed her finger and saw a solid dark mound in the distance.

"No telling how far it is to that though," Gray said accepting the offer of some water from Lucy. He took a swig. "It might be further than we think. You can't always trust what you see in places like this."

"Very true," Erza agreed. Lucy gave Erza a bottle of water "Thank you Lucy." Lucy handed out bottles to everyone else. She came to Natsu and Happy last.

"How is he doing?" she asked nodding to happy. Natsu grasped the bottle of water from Lucy's hand.

"Still out like a light," he took a long gulp "I'll give him some water."

"That's probably a good idea," she smiled, taking off her hat, running a hand through her hair once then replacing it.

"Let's take a break and have something to eat," Erza said in her commanding voice. They all agreed it was a very good idea. They sat in the shade provided by Erza's luggage and ate dried beef and tuna sandwiches. The sandwiches had been requested by Happy, who was happily munching on one with an extra fish in his lap.

"I'm glad we're having a break," Wendy said "I didn't know how much longer I could keep walking."

"You did well Wendy," Carla praised her.

"Thanks Carla," Wendy smiled.

"How long did you say until we reach the rocks again, Lucy?" Gray asked.

"An hour, hopefully," Lucy said taking a bite of her dried beef.

"Hopefully," Gray muttered looking at the dark shape they would be walking towards.

"I'm impressed, Lucy," Erza said "Normally you wouldn't be this focused."

"Well," Lucy glanced down at her hands "It's, this is the last thing my mother gave me," she looked out at the desert. "I don't want to let her down."

"You won't," everyone looked over to Natsu. He had a very serious expression. "You won't let her down Lucy," he stated. Lucy gave him a thankful smile.

"I agree with Salamander," Gajeel said, the others all giving nods of agreement and warm smiles. They packed up their food; placed hats back on heads and started walking again. It took about an hour and forty five minutes to reach the huge looming cluster of rocks. Wendy leaned against one in the shade and let out a sigh of relief. Only a few seconds behind her everyone collapsed into the shade.

"Now we wait until the moon is at its zenith," Lucy sighed. The sun slowly sank to the horizon then vanished behind it, and with it when the heat of the day, replaced with the bitter cold of night. The temperature had dropped to an unbelievable cold, so in contrast with the day. Lucy had moved closer to the fire Natsu had lit with some logs found in Erza's luggage; Mavis knows where she had them and why. Lucy looked up at the night's sky and had her breath taken away. "Beautiful," she breathed, her breath misting before her eyes. She pulled Nastu's blanket tighter round her shoulders, she had acquisitioned it earlier. Lucy ticked off the constellations in her head as she gazed up at the wondrous night's sky; she could see even more stars and they were twice as bright as she had ever seen them. Lucy found a constellation that gave her pause, she didn't know that one. She had been staring at it for so long that she got the attention of the others.

"What is it Lucy, you look confused?" Erza asked. Natsu lifted his head at the sound of Lucy's name.

"Yeah," Lucy confirmed, "I know all of the constellations, but that one," she pointed and everyone followed her finger. "I have no idea what it is." Wendy looked hard at the collection of stars and after a few minutes said.

"It looks like a dragon," she started to sketch out the shape the stars made up in the sand. "Look here's the sweep of the wings, tail, head and legs."

"Maybe it's that Drak- Dreck, dragon guys," Natsu settled with.

"Drake," Lucy corrected him automatically. "Yeah, maybe."

"How long until the zenith?" Erza asked.

"Not long," Lucy said. No not long at all. As the moon reached its peak the silver light seemed to collect at the place they were camped. Lines of white light shone through the sand and mapped out a magic circle with vines and arches.

"What now?" Gajeel said.

"No idea," Wendy replied. The ground began to shift, sloping down and splitting in the middle. Before anyone could move, giant flaps opened up and swung down in to a black pit, sending everyone plummeting down into the shadows. The exceeds couldn't seem to fly, and so they all were swallowed up by the desert. The sense of falling suddenly stopped but not by hitting the ground, but by being suspended in the air. What was suspending them let its grip go and they fell a few inches before hitting the ground beneath them.

"Is everyone all right!" Erza called through the darkness. She was met with grumbles and groans of confirmation. After a moment of groping around in the blackness to find each other a loud squeal was heard, followed by the sound of a slap.

"YOU IDIOT!" came Lucy shriek. After another few moments fires suddenly sprang to life in stone basins, lining the walls of the circular cave.

"Natsu?" Gray asked.

"It wasn't me," the fire mage said trying to light a flame in his palm, only to have it splutter and die.

"Our magic must be being blocked," Wendy said. She sniffed the air and added "The air smells weird too."

"It feels think and heavy, like water," Gajeel commented. Wendy took a deep breath and almost instantly started coughing.

"Wendy!" Lucy dashed to the girl's side.

"I'm alright Lucy," she gasped "The air tastes funny too." More coughing was heard and they all swivelled round to see Natsu spitting and hacking.

"So does the fire," he rasped. It was at this moment that lines of fire shot out from the basins and divided up the room. They were all forced to separate leaping as far away from the fire as possible. The fires met and colided in the middle. Natsu tried to go through the fire but was bounced back like he had been earlier that day. Lucy grabbed his shoulders and anchored him to the spot before he could try again.

"Is everyone alright!" It was Gray calling over the roar of the fire.

"Yeah!" Lucy yelled back "I've got Natsu and Happy with me!"

"I have Erza and Lily!" he replied.

"I have Wendy and Carla!" came Gajesl voice loud and clear. Natsu had calmed down enough for Lucy to let go of him. The ground began to shake again and the cave walls opened up behind them.

"Are the walls opening up on you guys too?" Gajeel shouted.

"Yeah!" Everyone replied.

"Well Natsu, I guess we go through," Lucy said.

"I don't like this," Erza said to Gray.

"I don't think we have much of a choice," Lily said being the first to walk through the arch into the tunnel.

"Gray!" Natsu called over his shoulder.

"Yeah," he replied "See you at the exit." They all set off down the separate tunnels, walking into the looming gloom.

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Ok I will checka again just to be sure. *NUUUUUUUUU!* Nope not happenin'. leave a review XD


	6. Chapter 6

hey there! here is another chapter and it is a slightly longer one like the one before it. thanks so much to the guests that have reviewed! and please please leave a review at the end of this chapter and tell me what you guys think, because as I have proved in the last chapter, I am not psychic, so I don't know what you thought or think of it.

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The darkness was so thick that Lucy couldn't even see her hand in front of her face. She reached out, feeling for Natsu with her fingers. When she couldn't find him she called softly.

"Natsu? You still here?"

"Yeah," came his voice through the shadows, and she felt a hand rest gently on her back; telling her where he was.

"Is there any chance you can give us some light?" she asked.

"Nope," he replied sounding peeved "I still got nothing."

"Man right when we need it too," Happy grumbled. Lucy took a step and ended up falling over, as the toe of her boot caught on something. Natsu panicked a bit when he felt Lucy pitch forward from his touch.

"Lucy!" he yelled and leaned down to try and find her.

"I'm here," she groaned and Natsu crawled over to where her voice had come from.

"You okay Lucy?" Happy reached out with his paw and snagged Natsu's coat. He kept a firm hold so as not to lose his friend in the dark.

"Yeah I just fell over something," Lucy said reaching out with a hand to find what had tripped her. She felt something cold and smooth it had two, no three holes and sharp things that felt like- oh Mavis- teeth!

"Kyaaaa!" Lucy screeched dripping the skull and scrabbling back away from it. She hit Natsu in the face and he fell back with her on top of him.

"What!" he asked urgently. Lucy was shaking.

"I-I-I-It's a-a-a s-s-skull!" Lucy stammered, gripping Natsu's shirt in her quivering fingers.

"Come on Lucy you've seen skulls before," Happy chided.

"It's the fact that someone died here, stupid cat!" she yelled back right next to Natsu's ear. Natsu winced at the ringing pain in his ear that had just been afflicted by Lucy's shrill cry.

"Lucy," he whined.

"Oh sorry," she whispered softly.

"You liiiiike each other," Happy sang.

. "Shut up stupid cat!" she yelled again.

"GYA! Lucy!"

"Sorry." She moved off of Natsu and stood up again only to have him fling himself at her and pin her underneath him. "What now?" she asked trying to move him off of her.

"Sssh, stay still," Natsu hissed. "I smell something bad." As if on cue a shaft of bright light appeared with razor sharp spikes coming from the floor and ceiling. "Guess that's how the other guy got killed." Lucy was shaking again. She could have been killed just now if it wasn't for Natsu, the trap was only a few feet away from her face. She could see the jagged edges of the spikes, the kinks of time rusted and made all the more menacing.

"Is it safe yet," she stammered. They waited but the trap didn't disappear. Natsu picked up a rock and through it at the trap. It passed right through.

"It's an illusion?" Lucy breathed, "Then what killed-"she didn't have to finish, she already knew. A huge bolder was rolling right at them. It had nasty looking rusty spikes just like those of the illusions. "Run!" she yelled pulling Natsu and Happy with her as she ran through the illusion trap. She was a fast runner when in a pinch.

"Lucy it's gaining on us!" Happy yelled. The tunnel was sloping down making the giant ball of death go faster. Lucy tripped again but this time Natsu was there to haul her back up and keep running. The tunnel took a sharp turn to the left and they ran smack into the wall, unable to see. They scrabbled and followed the curve of the wall. Luckily Happy, with his cat eyes saw a small opening in the right had side of the tunnel wall. "There to your right dive right ahead!" he ordered Natsu. Natsu scooped Lucy up and dived just in time, the ball of death rolled past, one of the spikes nicking his ankle.

"Well spotted buddy," Natsu gasped. They crawled out from the crevice and looked left and right. Their eyes were starting to get used to the gloom now and they could see their hand and feet which was always a good sign.

"Please tell me there aren't any more traps," Lucy whined.

"That might be hoping for too much Lucy," Natsu said helping her to her feet.

"I know," she groaned. They continued walking down the tunnel. Naysu stopped, sniffed the air then started running.

"This way! I can smell fresh air!" he shouted.

"Wait Natsu it might-"Lucy was cut off by the sound off frantic skidding.

"Wowaaaa!"

"Natsu!" Happy and Lucy shouted in unison, and ran after him.

"Watch it! Stop!" he yelled and flung Lucy and Happy down with his body again.

"What!" Lucy asked with a sigh, Natsu was safe.

"It's a shear drop to the bottom of a fowl smelling pit. When I got close to it the smell of fresh air vanished," he said pulling them up and peeping over the edge. Lucy tugged and pointed to the side. Their eyes had perfectly adjusted to the dark now. Natsu saw it too, a narrow strip of stone running along the edge above the pit. The smell coming from the pit was starting to make Lucy feel dizzy. It was awful, it smelt like rot; stale and thick with gasses that made you gag. She pulled up her shirt and covered her mouth and nose.

"Ugh, it smells worse than when Lucy has diarrhoea," Happy moaned. Lucy promptly smacked him over the head, a lump appeared where she had hit him. "Think that's the only way round?" he said through his paws, looking at the thin slip of rock.

"Yeah," Natsu gagged and pulled his scarf to cover his face. They edged their way round on the thin strip of a ledge. Even with their backs pressed up against the moist stone behind them, they, well Natsu and Lucy, only had a three inch gap of stone between their toes and a sheer drop. Happy had the luxury of being able to walk normally, but he still hugged the wall, just in case. The stone was wet and slippery, Natsu and Lucy had more than once grabbed the others arm to stop them from falling. With his magic blocked Happy wouldn't be able to save them if they did fall. They were half way round when they felt a huge explosion shake the walls and send lose bits of the slip of rock crumbling away. "What was-Faster," Natsu insisted from behind Lucy he saw bits of rock crumbling away and falling from above. "We have to go faster!" Lucy started to shuffle around as fast as she could without slipping. The exit, a wide arch in the cave wall, came into view from the dark. This gave Lucy the extra push she needed. The path was falling away behind them and Natsu had picked Happy up and placed him on his head. He had a foot of rock behind him before it fall away. His right heel hung in mid-air for a moment before he hurriedly scampered after Lucy who had pulled further ahead. Natsu saw what made her suddenly go faster. An opening. Then end of this death trap. Lucy skittered round the corner and flung herself into the opening as she finally made it to safer ground. When Natsu didn't follow after her immediately she crawled and peeped round the corner. Natsu wasn't directly behind her, she saw him only a few feet from safety. When she saw the rock under his feet start to crumble and crack.

"Jump Natsu!" she shouted frantically, "Jump now!" he did and the rock under his feet vanished; falling away into the fowl smelling pit. He reached out to grab Lucy's out stretched hand and caught her wrist; he grasped it with all his might. Lucy grunted and hauled Natsu and Happy up far enough so that they could grab the ledge and climb up next to her. They were all panting. Never, ever had they faced death traps one after another and they had hardly scratched the surface of what the labyrinth had to offer them.

"I-I t-think we should stay here for a-a bit," Natsu panted. "It seems safe for the moment." Lucy collapsed on her back, and closed her eyes. Natsu and Happy joined her and they rested for a few minutes. "Do you have any water?" Natsu asked Lucy. She pulled her bag over her shoulder and yanked a bottle out forcefully. Natsu took a swig than passed it to Happy who passed it back to Lucy.

"How long do you think we will be down here?" Lucy asked sitting back up.

"No idea. I just wish I could use my magic. This sucks on a whole other level than losing to Laxus," Natsu complained pushing himself up from his knees. He gave Lucy a hand up and steadied her while her legs shook from having done too much stop and start running. Happy took this moment to lighten the mood a little.

"They liiiiiike each other," he purred.

"Shut up stupid cat!"

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Leave me a lovely review to munch on while I write up the next chapter!


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